June 3, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:

Crystal Albers, assistant director of communications/web editor, at 816-383-5100 or calbers@angus.org

Association VP Speaks at Australian Angus Conference

To most ranchers, Australia is a world away — actually, about a day and an ocean away.

So what could cattlemen down under and U.S. producers possibly have in common?

“Plenty,” said Joe Hampton, American Angus Association vice president. “There’s a lot of commonalities and a lot of opportunities.”

The Mount Ulla, N.C., Angus breeder and his wife, Robin, recently returned to their Back Creek Angus farm following a 14-day trip to Australia, a country similar in land size to the United States but with the lowest population density in the world.

Hampton was asked to speak at Angus Australia’s National Angus Conference late April in Albury. Upon their arrival, Hampton noticed differences in the people and culture of the region, but saw similarities in the Angus cattle.

“Angus is only dominant in the southern temperate region of the country, but they’re expanding and many of the cattle there had Angus genetics,” he said. “There was a tremendous amount of genetic diversity, but I did recognize several lines from the U.S.”

That’s significant in a country that has more than 25.4 million head of cattle and is considered one of the largest beef exporters, Hampton said.

At the conference, Hampton joined other speakers discussing production, marketing and selection tools, including the American Angus Association’s adoption of genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (EPDs) and the Igenity^® Profile for Angus.

“The Australians are working to implement genomic technology and were very interested in how we’ve been able to accomplish that,” Hampton said. “We’re certainly ahead of the pack in terms of genomic advancements, and our approach seems to have been well-received there.”

Like the U.S., the technology has much potential in the rugged Australian environment where at least half the nation’s cattle are finished on grass and emphasis is placed on early maturing cattle.

Export markets are also extremely important to the country’s small population. A relatively aggressive $6-per-head checkoff is used to cultivate overseas markets.

“The Australians manage for a particular export market,” he says. “They determine where they’re cattle are going to be marketed, then they manage for it, from conception to the final product. In this way they remain efficient.”

Hampton noticed this efficiency mind-set during the farm tours he and Robin took on their 800-mile trip between Melbourne and Sydney.

Not only were they mindful producers, he said, they were extremely hospitable.

“They’re a very open, warm and genuine people,” he said. “They opened their homes, showed us their operations and went above and beyond what we expected. The people were what impressed me most.

“It was a good reminder that the world doesn’t stop at our borders anymore,” Hampton continued. “I’m looking forward to seeing some Australian visitors this year during our National Angus Conference and Tour in Montana, and to continuing our dialogue and interaction in the future.”

For more information about the American Angus Association, its entities, programs and services, visit www.angus.org.

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